Heels for women&#39;s shoes



Sept. 24, 1957 c. H. DlcKMAN HEELS FORWOMEN'S SHOES Filed July s, 195e H IS ATTORNEYS United States Patent O i HEELS FOR WOMENS SHOES Carl H. Dickman, Scranton, Pa., assigner to Consolidated Molded Products Corporation, Scranton, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application July 3, 1956, Serial No. 595,707

2 Claims. (Cl. 36-34) This invention relates to improvements in heels for ladies 'footwear and it relates particularly to an improved heel formed of molded plastic and means for securing it to a shoe or other footwear.

The heels for ladies shoes or footwear are formed of many different kinds of materials including leather, wood, metal, and plastics. Wooden and leather heels are more easily secured to the heel portion of the sole of the shoe than heels made of the other materials mentioned for the reason that nails can be driven into them without splitting them and a secure connection is attained thereby.

Metal and plastic heels have not been completely satisfactory for the reason that they are ditlicult to attach easily and securely -to footwear. It is not possible to anchor such metal or some plastic heels to shoes by means of nails and glue, so other expedients including screws, metal pins and the like, have been suggested for this purpose. While screws and pins are satisfactory for securing heels made of opaque materials, such anchoring means are not very satisfactory from the standpoint of appearance when used with transparent plastic heels. Moreover, metal heels are of limited utility and molded plastic heels provided 'heretofore have been quite heavy so that shoes having such heels are not as comfortable and light as might be desired. However, plastic heels are desirable because of the great variety of ornamental eifects that can be obtained with them.

The present invention relates to an improved type of plastic heel and mechanism for securing it to the upper of the shoe which overcome the disadvantages of the prior plastic heels.

More particularly, the new heel comprises a molded, hollow shell 'formed of plastic having a centrally-located, tubular socket enabling the heel to be connected rto the shoe by means of a spindle mounted on a plate of substantial area disposed within the shoe. The spindle extends through a hole in the heel portion and into the socket where it is secured by cement or in any other suitable way to clamp the heel portion of the sole between the heel and the plate, thereby obtaining a strong and rigid connection between the upper and the heel.

The arrangement of the socket and spindle is such that the heel may be formed of plastic without detracting from, and, in fact, enhancing, vthe appearance of the heel.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical cross section through a typical heel embodying the present invention and the means for securing it to the upper of a shoe which is shown partially in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a view in cross section on line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The invention will be described with relation to a ladys e 2,807,099 1 Patented Sept. 24, 1957 rice slipper 10, the upper of which is shown partially in dotted lines in Figure 1, and which includes a sole 11 having the usual tread portion 12, shank portion 13 and heel portion 14. t

The new heel 15 embodying the present invention 1s 'formed of plastic by a molding operation in accordance with known molding practices. A typical heel may be formed of any suitable plastic, such as a styrene or acetate plastic of agtransparent or translucent type, a phenol formaldehyde, or a urea-formaldehyde resin of a semi,- transparent or opaque type. The heel includes a hollow shell portion 16 having a closed lower end 17 which may be used with or without a heel tap of leather or rubber. The lower end 17 of the heel will be referred to as the ground-contacting end, even though it may be provided with a wear plate or tap.

'I'he shell 16 ares outwardly and upwardly from they ground-contacting end 17 and is provided with an upper rim edge 18 which is adapted to engage the under-surface of the heel portion 14 of the slipper 10. The leading edge 18a of the rim may be formed as an arc of a circle in order Ito lit around the curved undersurface of the heel portion 14. The remainder of the rim 18 is, however, in substantially a single plane inclined to the plane of the ground-contacting end 17 and has an internal bevel or ohamfer 19.

Within the shell and molded integrally therewith is a tubular socket portion 20 which extends upwardly from the ground-contacting end 17 of the heel and the back portion of the shell so that it is substantially centrally disposed with respect to the rim portion 18, 18a of the heel.

Appropriate generally radially disposed reinforcing webs, 21, 22, 23 and 24 are also molded integrally with and extend between the shell 16 and the socket 20 to reinforce and support the socket and the shell. While the webs are shown as disposed substantially at right angles to each other and in a fore-and-aft and transverse directions, it will be understood that they may be varied in number and their angular relationship changed, depending upon the ornamental effect sought.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the upper end of the socket 20 and the upper edges of the webs 21 to 24 lie in a common plane below the rim 18 and substantially parallel therewith. The purpose of this relation will be understood better by reference to Figure 1. As shown therein, the heel 15 is secured to the heel portion 14 by means of an attaching element 25 which includes a plate member 26 having substantially the same conguration as, but of smaller area than the upper end of the shell 20, as indicated in dot-dash lines in Figure 2, and having a solid or hollow spindle or stem 27 extending from its lower surface so that when the spindle is received in the socket 20, the plate 26 is essentially parallel with and disposed within the upper end or rim portion 18, 18a of the heel. A tapered or chambered lower edge 28 is formed on the plate 26 so that when the heel and the attaching element 25 are pressed toward each other on opposite sides of the heel portion 14, the heel portion is deflected downwardly within the shell into intimate engagement with the upper end of the socket and the upper edges of the webs 21 to 24. In this way, the heel portion of the sole is compressed or gripped between the plate 26 and the rim 18, 18a, the socket and webs. Due to the irregular shapes of the rim 1S, 18a of the heel and the plate 26, relative rotation or twisting of the heel and the upper is prevented even if the heel is not cemented to the upper as usually will be the case. Also, as .shown in Figure 2, the stem 27 and the socket 20 may be provided with ats 27a and 20a which eifectively prevent relative rotation. In addition, the undersurface of the plate member 26 and the upper edges of the webs 21 to 24 may have a plurality of sharply pointed projections 29 and 30 thereon.

Any suitable means may be used for securing the spindle 27 in the socket 20, suchas, for example, a compatible cement.

It will be understood that the plate 26 will be covered with a layer of leather or the like forming an insole portion 31 in the shoe so that a smooth and comfortable heel-engaging surface is obtained.

As indicated above, the heel may be formed of a plastic material of suitable type and for ornamental purposes it may be formed of clear or colored transparent, translucent or opaque plastic bearing appropriate ornamentation. A wide variety of ornamental effects are obtainable by use of transparent shell portion 16 and a colored socket 20 and/or webs 21'to 24 in the same or diterent colors. Other ornamental eects such as the modeling of lthe surface to include carved intaglio or cameo effects may be obtained. Moreover, the heel may be changed in its dimensions to render it suitable for walking or dress shoes. Inasrnuch as the heel is susceptible to many modifications in appearance, shape and size, the form of the invention described herein should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A heel for ladies shoes comprising a molded shell of plastic having a closed, narrow, lower ground contacting end and an open upper end for engagement with the undersurface of the heel portion of the sole of a shoe, a tubular socket extending upwardly from the lower end of said shell and having an open upper end, said socket having an upper portion spaced from said shell, thin supporting webs extending from said socket to said shell and united therewith, and an element for securing said shell to said heel portion of the sole comprising a spindle extending through the heel portion of said sole and engage- 4. able in said socket, anda plate on the upper end of said spindle inclined with respect to said spindle for engagement with the upper surface of the heel portion of said sole in a position overlying the open end of said shell, said plate having smaller external dimensions than the open end of said shell to enter into and press said heel portion of said sole against the upper end of said shell, said socket and said webs.

2. A heel for ladies shoes having an upper and a sole including tread, shank and heel portions, a high heel of molded plastic secured to and supporting the heel portion of said shoe, said heel comprising a hollow shell having a ground-contacting lower end and an open upper end conforming substantially to said heel portion of said sole, a tubular socket extending lengthwise of said heel from its lower end to its upper end, said socket having an upper portion spaced from said shell and disposed substantially centrally of said open end, substantially radial webs united with and' extending between said shell and said socket, said socket and webs having upper ends below the level of the upper end of said shell, a plate fitting inside said upper and overlying said heel portion, a spindle on said plate extending through said heel portion and into said socket, said plate being of smaller external dimensions than the upper end of said shell and having a tapered periphery to compress said heel portion into the upper end of said shell and against the socket and webs, and means uniting said spindle with said socket with said heel portion compressed between said plate and the upper ends of said shell, socket and webs.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Parkhurst Nov. 18, 1941 5;. 'Lua i 

